


Corrupted Mind, Pure Heart

by Ace (acerooni)



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dragon Quest XI Act II Spoilers, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Erik turns into a monster, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma in general, im not good at tags, jasper is a bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 15:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21255839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acerooni/pseuds/Ace
Summary: After the fall, Erik didn't think he'd live, much less be thrown into this living hell. He spends months here, all for what, to become just like them?(This is an act 2 au, Erik is captured by Mordegon and gets corrupted like Jasper (since its a shorter amount of time it is much more damaging), this also explores his recovery in later chapters)





	1. Escape Attempt

**Author's Note:**

> This fic involves heavy themes of abuse and trauma, and the problems that arise from it. Please be careful if subjects like these upset you.

The ground felt cold and hard beneath Erik as he woke, groggy and overwhelmed from the memories flooding his mind. 

_The grassy ground of Yggdrasil was cool to his touch as he stared at a bright bulb of yellow as it quickly turned black, dissipating beneath the sinister sword’s blade. _

Erik rose, flinching as his bruises cried in agony from the movement. He eventually got himself upright and his gaze fell upon the jail cell door greeting him, grass gone and the world shifted to reality. 

“Ugh... I’m in no shape for a prison break right now…” He slumped back down on the floor, his mind wandering while he rested. His thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the door, however, and as he looked over at it and stood again, the pain from his fatigue clouded his mind.

He peeked out of the now open door, seeing a table with medicine on top of it. He knew it was a trap, the medicine probably poisoned. Erik’s body cried out in pain, begging for a healing spell or some other healing item. He clutched his side and tried to pass them up, heading to the opening at the other end of the room. Again his own body protested, forcing him to limp. Erik argued with himself over the possibilities and finally mused aloud, “If I don’t take the chance, my chance of escape is much lower…” 

Erik finally caved, picking the green herbs off of the table and using them; the familiar cooling sensation of the medicine he’s used countless times covered his body. Satisfied by the fact it was indeed not poison, he took the rest, shoving it into his bag. He thanked a nameless higher power as he snuck off, scouting his way through the network of caves he was being held in. 

Eventually, the caves opened up to a gaping cliff, releasing his cell was high in the sky. 

“No way, in the sky…? I couldn’t survive this jump..” He looked around for an alternate route, quickly finding a path leading up and away around the side of the rock face, the endpoint indiscernible. He started to walk over to it - before he was blocked by a giant sword landing in front of him. 

“Well, well, the rat weaseled his way through the bars,” Above him stood a giant humanoid monster. His skin a sickly blue, and a helmet upon his head. He also had way too many muscles, “I am Indignus, one of the Spectral Sentinels, and now since you’ve gotten this far I’m going to kill you.” 

Erik scrambled backward, a gasp escaping from his throat as he struggled to his feet to run away, succeeding a little, until the sword landed in front of his escape route. His mind flitted over what he’d leave behind. Jade and Rab with their familial feeling, Sylvando with his contagious smiles, Eleven… he hoped the Luminary wouldn’t miss him too much. He squeezed his eyes shut. Another memory crept into his head, one suppressed for more than a lifetime, and his eyes shot open as he remembered the outstretched hand of gold glinting in the sunlight. That look of terror that was permanently sculpted across her face. 

“...Mia!” Erik’s body shuddered, waves of repressed memories washing over him and hitting him with regret. 

“Indignus, step away from this human. Immediately.” A deep familiar voice rose above the haze of his memories... 

Erik looked at the source, unsheathing his knife when he found it. It was the Lord of Shadows himself, Mordegon??? 

“G-Get away from me…!” Erik stammered.

The abomination smiled, crouching by his weak form. “You’re the little thief right? The one who stole the Luminary from right beneath mine and Jasper’s noses… crafty little thing. Join us, it’s the only way you’ll live.” , His mouth curves into a cruel smile on the last two syllables.

Erik cleared his throat, gathering phlegm and then spitting in the Lord of Shadows' face. The Monster’s nose scrunched up in disgust and he picked the nimble thief up by the hair. “Well, it seems you have made your decision. Come, your new accommodations… await.” He knows this familiar sensation all too well. Zoom. 

Abruptly, his back hit the floor, a plush carpet greeting his fall, Erik’s weapons were gone, and his bag in the Lord of Shadow’s hand. “Dinner will be here in about an hour… I suggest you get changed before then. This is your room and your cell now, enjoy it.” With that, the door shut and locked, to which Erik ran after him and punched the door.

“Let me out damn it!!” He continued to pound at the door until he felt all the energy regained from the earlier medicine wear out. He slumped against the door, sighing. 

The room he now sat in had beautiful amethyst carpets, the color of Eleven’s coat, and walls made from gold. He held his head, standing and hoping this was a dream. Each furniture piece was lavishly crafted and made with the same gold as the walls, nothing he’d ever been able to stay in beyond the shadows but now this was where he was imprisoned. 

Erik looked at the windows, large purple stained glass, and then looked out them, below he could see all of Erdrea, but mostly Heliodor. His mind wandered to those sewers he met the Luminary in, at first he didn’t believe the man who told him to go after the Red Orb. Now he would listen to the Seer regardless of context.

He was jolted out of his thoughts by a sharp knock on the door. Inside burst Jasper, his skin looking a sickly pale purple as he strode across the room. “If it isn’t the little thief who the luminary rushed to save in Gondolia...” He sneered, “So you didn’t listen to my liege…” He snapped, the sound echoing through the gloomy air and in came a pair of monsters, grabbing Erik and dragging him towards a door he had not entered or even noticed inside the room.

It was a bathroom, with a closet connected. He struggled against their grip "Okay okay I get it! Lemme do this alone!" He huffed.

They let him go, reluctantly. Erik stumbled over to the closet, slamming open the door and then greeted by a nauseating sight, the outfits all kicking him in the gut. They were duplicates of Eleven's favorite coat, as well as his old outfit before he left Mia, speaking of, there were outfits like hers.

He swallowed down a lump forming as he reached for his old outfit, proceeding to peel off his old clothes and then putting the new one on. He felt nauseous, and the ground lurched beneath him with each step.

Finally, he made his way back to Jasper, who looked down at him condescendingly. 

"For a lowly rat like you, you do clean up fairly well." His words, although they seemed kind, stung like daggers. Erik rolled his eyes as Jasper turned and led the way out. The monsters poked his back and he followed, stumbling. 

Eventually, they opened up to a large dining hall and he was shoved into a seat. "If you try to escape, it'll be your head" Jasper pointed his sword at the Adam's Apple of Erik's throat, he gently grabbed the sword and moved it away. 

"I get it…" he sighed. 

Jasper sat near the head of the table where a large chair was to sit the castle's head, who came in a short moment later. He smiled disgustingly, making a shiver go up Erik's spine which he quickly suppressed. As soon as he sat, monsters from all over the room came up with plates of food and set them down. Erik looked down at the food, stew. His mind went over to the campfires he shared over his journey with his friends. 

He remembered the first night he and Eleven made camp and consequently dinner, Eleven almost cut his fingers twice. Erik took the knife from him and showed off a little as he flipped the sharp implement over his knuckles and cut quickly and cleanly. He then dropped the pieces in the creamy liquid above the fire. It was turning a sickly green color but the smell was still… decent.

Eleven drew the spoon to his mouth a while later, gently blowing on it with barely parted lips. Erik watched the fire reflect in Eleven’s eyes, like flames dancing in the sky. Eleven took a taste of the spoon cautiously and after a moment his face lit up. “It’s okay!” He ran to grab bowls from his bag, coming back and serving the two. He handed one to Erik and smiled warmly, “It’s no five-star cooking but it’s good enough to make you think of home!” Erik coyly smiled at Eleven’s statement, though inside all he thought of was the faintest glimmer of his mistake in the corner of his eye as he put on a second glove and left the small shack.

A sharp bark cut him out of the flashback “Are you going to eat or not, scum?” Jasper jeered.

“Are you ever gonna shut up?” Erik grabbed the spoon and took a big spoonful. It tasted just like that first stew. His demeanor faltered and the blonde a bit away smirked. 

“What, never had real food?”

Erik ate the soup silently, sensing danger suddenly and shoving down the instinct to run away. He chewed slowly to suppress the body’s need to flee, trying to trick it into thinking he was safe.

The Lord of Shadows smiled from his spot, “Tomorrow, you shall begin working around here. In the morning you will spar, the afternoon you shall join me in the throne room, and in the evenings you will find yourself with Jasper. Now..” He rose. “I’m glad you ate the whole potion. Goodnight, little thief. You’ll pay for the items you stole.” After that he left, each stomp making Erik grimace further.

“Potion…?” Erik looked at Jasper.

“You refused to cooperate, so now you will die. Slowly.” Jasper smirked and started to leave. “You may wander the halls, but the entire castle knows you’re unarmed, and everyone will be watching you. Be back in your room within the next hour, or else punishment shall follow.” 

Erik watched the blonde leave and quickly looked for an escape path, running all over the castle for someplace to sneak out, but every time he stooped to look closer, monsters ended up behind him. Always two, sometimes more. Even if he found something sharp enough to act as a knife he’d kill one maybe before they grabbed him and took him to Jasper for his “punishment.”

He came upon his room finally, seeing a nightshirt was laid out for him. Instead of picking it up, he took the time to clean up, then changed into the shirt and a fresh pair of boxers. He drew in a sharp breath and settled on the bed, his hair splaying everywhere as he did so.

Reaching for the candle and then laying down among the comforters, which were the most luxurious things he ever got to lay under, his mind began to wander. To stealing the Red Orb, to waiting within in the depths of Heliodor and the brunet boy with his naive expression and willingness to help anyone and everyone in need, even if that meant that they were letting the knights, er… Mordegon catch up to them. Eleven smiling as they settled down for the night, his eyes lighting with a fire of determination when an enemy approached, and the way he huffed the hair free from his face while hammering away over the forge Erik gave him. 

His eyes slowly grew heavier as sleep claimed him, he hoped maybe… this was some huge nightmare and he was going to wake up under Yggdrasil, in his arms again.


	2. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was not a nightmare, but his first day sure felt like one.

It was not a nightmare, his wake was not greeted by the arms of the boy whom he spent the last year with. Was it a year? He doesn't remember. 

The first full day he was here, he was rudely dragged out of bed and pushed towards the closet. A full five minutes later he was standing in Eleven’s trademark outfit. Erik frowned and placed his hand on his neck to ease the nervous ball rising in his throat. However, instead of reaching his neck a curtain of hair blocked the path.

“H-huh? My hair… grew overnight…?” He grabbed a clump in shock. His mind tried to search for the cause, eventually landing on the potion tainted stew he ate last night. It made his hair grow, but why….

He mused to himself while the monsters led him to an arena. Inside were multiple weapons he never used before. Erik surveyed for a dagger until a Skeleton Swordsman stopped him.

“You’re the new one? I was expecting something a little less… human.” He looked Erik in the eyes and Erik stared silently back. Behind him the arena doors opened yet again, to which he turned, seeing Jasper.

The knight frowned, "Your hair is not up to code. Let me fix that." He yanked Erik's hair into his hands, and he suppressed a yelp. Thank god, he'll cut it. Erik waits for the feeling of a blade through the aqua strands. Instead of a knife, he felt a ribbon tie off the start of his newly grown hair. Jasper deftly braided the cordoned off area of hair, tying it off and then stepping back. 

"If I see you show up to anything outside of your room without your hair braided, you shall be punished." Jasper strolled across the room standing against a pillar as Erik's heart dropped to his stomach. He grabbed the braid and looked at the red ribbons neatly holding his hair together. 

His thoughts immediately went to the countless nights of putting his sister’s hair up, or even just combing it to calm her down. He looked down at the floor, biting his lip.

“Go on, pick a weapon human!” The Skeleton prodded him towards the armory. Erik picked up a dagger, inspecting it closely. He held it up to get a closer look at the engravings upon the hilt, only to have it snatched away and a pair of claws to be dropped in his hands. “Oh sorry did I say pick a weapon? I meant, get equipped.” The skeleton chortled as he sauntered off to supposedly go get his sparring partner.

Erik put the claws on trying to get used to how they worked. They felt awkward and heavy upon his hands, which would normally weasel their way into all situations, and pockets. A few moments later his foe came out from the back, a large Jockilles stared him down.

“This is my spar opponent?! Ha! He will be dead within two punches!” Erik dodged as the Jockilles took a heavy strike. As he went in for his attack, he was caught by the wrist and slammed into the ground. He passes out...

He woke up in his room, a healslime by his bedside, “you took a nasty broozin’!”

Erik sat up, “I know… so you’re supposed to heal me..?” he went to rub his neck, finding the braid instead and wincing a bit.

“Yep! The name is Gooereguard!” The slime spun and bobbed happily.

“Huh.. okay..”

The door shot open and it was another monster with lunch. They set down the tray and mumbled about leaving soon for afternoon activities. Erik scrambled over to the food, realizing he did not eat breakfast. It was a sandwich and juice of some kind. 

Before long the lunch was in his stomach and he went to join the monster waiting by the door. They stopped him and pointed back into the room, at an outfit draped over a chair. He groaned and picked up the outfit, it looked like a near fusion of Sniflheim’s and Dundrasil’s royal garbs. 

_"Hey, when we defeat Mordegon…” Eleven wrung his hands nervously as he watched the leaves rustle above the campsite._

_ “Mm…?” Erik looked over, placing a hand on Eleven’s forearm, slipping up the brunet's arms to hold his hand. Eleven smiled faintly and leaned towards him. The twos eyes met, and Erik smiled encouragingly._

_ “I… I wanna help grandpa rebuild Dundrasil and I was wondering if… you’d like to help…?” Eleven’s eyes shined with a curiosity._

_ Erik thought over the question and reached forward to peck Eleven’s lips softly before resting his forehead against the Luminary’s own. “Only if you help me with something before we do.” He murmured before kissing him again._

His eyes darkened as he pulled the outfit on. Soon after he exited the room, looking at the monster, “Lead the way.”

A silent nod and then a winding maze of passages later, he arrived into the throne room of the Lord of Shadows himself. The man smiled, stepping up from his throne, “Welcome, from now on you’ll be here every afternoon to watch the proceedings of everything.” The quiet monster pushed him towards a small open space to the side of the throne.

The Lord of Shadows sat again. “You will stand quietly, no peep, no movement, and anything of such will be punished.”

Erik gulped and nodded, keeping his hands at his side and his head straight so he can have a full look of the room. Usually, he’d be someone to fight such silly gestures but he saw this man straight up kill El. Wait, no, El is _not_ dead. Stop that thought right there. If Erik survived the fall of Yggdrasil, El had to have too. It wouldn’t be fair for the unnecessary thief to live over the goddamn Luminary!

He tried to stop the train of thoughts but they kept going, he wanted to clutch his head and make them stop but doing so would result in him getting hurt. He was the reason Mia wasn't here now, he was the reason Jasper and Hendrik followed them to Yggdrasil.

Hours passed of dealing with these overwhelming thoughts as he stood and watched all kinds of monsters come in. He was given drinks ―of which the liquid was like blood in viscosity and taste, it was also warm. Whether it was blood or not he was not sure. It did hydrate him, so it couldn't be… right?― and small amounts of food during the day, and eventually given a chair of his own to sit upon, although it was more a stool a monster brought out of the pantry downstairs. 

He was jolted to a state of awareness by one word, Luminary. The monster currently in sessions with the Lord of Shadows was talking about it. “We have not found him yet, sir.” The monster stammered and bowed, to which the Lord of Shadows slammed the sword through the monster.

Erik watched the purple dust gather around the sword, then fly off from the slight breeze in the room. Although he was used to commonly killing them off, seeing it come from the grand maestro himself was… unnerving. Did he treat Jasper like this? 

The Lord of Shadows walked over to his sword, tearing it away from the ground. He pointed it at Erik, who flinched from the action.

“You, night training, now.” He pointed towards the door. Erik quickly nods and stands, heading over to that door. It just seems stupid to argue against someone more likely to kill than ask questions.

***

Jasper and Erik sat down across from each other. “I will be training you in spells and mental resistance.”

“Oh no, I don’t do spells-” Erik is quickly grabbed by Jasper, who has placed a hand to his chest. His hand was ice but his fingertips sparked of fire, sending fear running through his legs and making him squirm in the evil knight's grip.

“You will need to learn Frizz before you are allowed to complete your training tonight.”

With that one sentence, Jasper’s hand lit up with the sinister colors of the dark magic that hit Erik in Gondolia. The pain was searing, lighting up his chest with the feeling of inhaling smoke and choking out sobs. He heard a strangled scream hit the air, was that his own? It sounded pathetic and almost pleading.

Erik awoke among the campsite, feeling entirely dirty. He was at the campsite in Dundrasil.

He stood and dusted his pants off. “Just a bad dream…! OK! Gotta go find El…” He trailed off as a large monster stomped in front of him and started casting a fire spell. He quickly dodged to the side, reaching for his knife and then finding nothing there.

At the edges of his conscious Jasper reminded him about the spell Frizz. His mind focuses hard, trying to force the spell. He shouts Frizz at the top of his lungs, mimicking the actions Eleven does.

The monster lets out a mighty groan under the force of the fireball, evaporating into violet-colored dust. Erik scratched at his familiar green tunic realizing just how dirty he was. The river nearby beckoned him over, and Erik listened, standing upon the shore. “Guess I better clean up before heading out…” Reluctantly, he undresses and steps into the river, shuddering at the near-frozen water hitting his legs.

He continued to bathe, the surrounding area beginning to smell more nauseous. He opened his eyes to see every one of his comrades-in-arms floating in the blood-stained water. They were just corpses, torn apart by someone’s excellent dagger skills. 

His brain immediately filled with panicked circles of looping sentences. _What the fuck did I do? Why did I do this? My fault, my fault, my fault._

Erik was dropped onto the carpet, back within the walls of the Fortress of Fear. He gasped for air as Jasper hovers over him, crowing, “Today was just a short lesson. It only gets worse from here.”

Unknown arms hooked with his own as Erik was pulled off the floor harshly. He watched as Jasper blurred away into the noise of the castle as the arms took him back to his room. His head hung limp, the feeling of dried blood coating his skin. It felt so real. And he was going to have to go through worse ones?

A bed greeted his back, Gooereguard suddenly by his side and filling him with healing energy. He drifted off to sleep rather quickly, pretending they were El’s healing spells.

He dreamed of flying in the stars that night until the stars pushed him out of the sky.


	3. Beginning of the End

Almost 5 months. He… he’s been under this for 5 months. Each nightmare has been worse than the last. Each training more grueling. Each afternoon ripping him up inside more and more. Erik knew a variety of spells now. Frizz, Boom, Zam, Sap, Kerplunk and more. 

The night Jasper taught him Kerplunk, he was just trying to save Eleven. The first time he cast it properly he was brought back to life by Eleven only to have the Luminary die in front of Erik’s eyes. Erik remembered the words he uttered, “You killed me…”

He rushed to cast it again, waking up later with Eleven. He scrambled backward, already knowing there would be a twist waiting. Eleven stood, his bright blue eyes shining through his hair, a veil over his face. Erik held back a strangled scream as bright steel pierced his chest. Eleven walked away, coattails caught up in the wind as he talked behind him at the dying man, “You’ve expended your usefulness.” 

Erik’s lost the color in his eyes, he saw it when looking in the mirror the other day. The normally blue eyes have been taken over by a shadow, looking more gray-blue. No smiles come forth from him anymore, he’s tried, tears too. He feels empty but knows he isn’t, he’s still flesh and blood.

Where his face falls short; his body picks up the slack. Erik’s muscles are the most toned they’ve been in all his life, and there’s no sense of the malnutrition that used to hang to his body like cobwebs on a stick. His once short hair was still short on the top; but just over the nape of his neck, a large swathe of hair had grown to his calves. Erik was not allowed to cut the hair, and the Lord of Shadows forced his hair to grow faster, so each morning Erik was forced to braid it. They only gave him red or purple ties to hold the braid in.

He despised existence, but he had to keep living. For Mia. For Eleven. They were both waiting on him.

Just at the 5-month mark, he was taken outside of the castle. Down to the ground. Octagonia. A dull memory arose, of the night when Eleven spent it with Vince in the orphanage. Erik barely slept that night, missing the warmth he had slept with for the months prior. He followed behind the Lord of Shadows and Jasper, head pointed low as he was taught to do.

They crossed through a casino, the lights upsetting his eyes. Soon they were going up a set of stairs. The arena, he remembers now. Erik recalls the time when he fought Jade first round of the MMA. That night, while Eleven was sleeping at Vince’s place, he didn’t take care of the bruises he had. 

At the top of the steps was a grotesque lizard creature, wearing poofy pants that remind Erik of the desert faring outfit Eleven had made him at one point. Beside him stood… no way-

Beside him was Jade in a goddamned bunny costume. Erik stared perplexedly, there is no way she’d ever dress like that. Unless she was undercover maybe? He thought about it for a second, spacing out as the Lord and Jasper talked to the lizard. He’s broken out by a familiar voice, “Well well, a human huh? What are you doing following the Lord of Shadows around~? You could follow me instead~” 

Jade smiled at him, and now that she was closer he could tell she was not undercover and instead under control. Her skin was purplish pink like it was a collection of giant healing bruises, eyes were red-violet, a circle of yellow around the pupil. The thing that made him uncomfortable was her mouth. It was twisted into a permanent cocky expression.

“It’s not polite to stare you know.” Her voice had a condescending tone and an ethereal reverb, making him want to scream at her to snap out of it. Jade finally took a moment to look Erik over, her smile widened. “Well well, if it isn’t the ‘little tea leaf’. I thought you didn’t ‘cozy up to royals’.” Her sentence ended with a light chuckle to herself. “Oh waiiiit, I remember, there is one royal you cozied up to”

His eyes lit up with a fire of anger. “What was his name…? Ten? Twelve? Oh! I remember now… _Eleven_. The Luminary himself! Was little old baby blue gonna steal the light of the world? Gosh, I sure hope not, that would be terrible…!” She sneered at Erik who flinched slightly.

“Please… just leave me alone. I’m not supposed to be talking…” Erik mumbled under his breath. Jade rolled her eyes and reached to flick her ponytail. “Come on Eri-Berry… you’re no fun, no wonder no one can find the Luminary, he couldn’t have possibly lived through the fall, especially when he didn’t want to see your mug ag-”

Something snapped inside of Erik, in slow motion, he felt a force form in his hands. A large spell, an angry spell, he was not in control of his body anymore as he fired an incredibly strong Magic Burst straight at the devilish bunny girl. He stood over her as she tried to get up from the blow.

Erik panted, his eyes turning pink as he spoke. “Eleven is alive. Eleven is alive you goddamn _BITCH_.” He punted her away, anger covering his skin as he continued to breathe heavily. 

His heart sank into his feet when a hand grabbed him off the ground, the lizard from earlier frowning with his three eyes and grotesque fangs opening, “What did you do to my pretty little kitty cat?! You will pay for this.”

He felt the ground come at his skull incredibly quickly, his head burning with fresh blood. Again and again, the slams came, ceaselessly. Erik said his final respects to an unknown deity, then waited for himself to lose consciousness.

He awoke among the covers, feeling the familiar sensation of a healing spell being pumped all over him. He looked around unable to find the source, “Eleven....? Is that you?” He had begun to call Gooereguard Eleven as a habit, it helped him feel calm.

Outside of his vision, the slime hesitated, noticing Jasper across the room with his hand quickly on the hilt of his sword. One slice and purple dust rained on Erik, he knew immediately. He had gotten Gooereguard killed. Just like Eleven. Eleven is dead and so is the one thing he used to pretend El was still fucking alive. No. He has to believe that the Luminary is still alive.

They can still save Erdrea.

They can still be together.

The dust settled among his lap, which Jasper promptly swept away, quickly dismissing the deed he had done. “Go to bed. No one wants to hear your sniveling.”

That night he dreamt of dying upon jumping from the cliff outside of the Heliodor sewers. It would’ve been better that way. Instead, Erik woke among the grass, which swayed slightly in the wind. He sat up quickly, seeing a house in the distance. He knew this place, he’s only been here once before. 

His feet propelled him towards the door, forcing it open quickly. “Seer!” Erik looked around the small house, eyes settling on a certain brunet, a look of shock transfixed on his face.

“E-El….?”

“Oh… is that who you see this time…? You must miss him dearly…” Eleven stood and tapped his head once, blue locks cascading down his back as a woman stood in his place. Erik stared at the woman, known as the Seer, standing in Eleven’s place. Erik’s face became coated in a dull expression.

“Erik, I know you said you’d find forgiveness if you followed the Luminary… but… I need to change my prophecy. Getting captured by the Lord of Shadows wasn’t part of the prophecy. Neither was…” The seer trailed off, concern knitting her brow. She motioned for the former thief to sit as she poured tea for him and her.

She offered him a cup and he timidly took it. “What’s the change…? It’s not like I can do much while trapped in that damn castle…” He sipped the tea, feeling normal again, feeling like he was just waiting for the rest of the party to settle in for the night; like El was just going on a shopping trip while he stayed to do other errands. That he’ll be back any moment now.

The Seer sighed gently, taking a sip of her tea. She then set the cup down. “I don’t know how you can do this, but… Mia’s soul will be lost to the curse soon. You have to do something, Erik.” 

Erik almost fell, he thought of his sister. The girl trapped in gold, her scream cut short by the gold over her body. He stood and slammed his hands on the table. “NO.” Erik’s fist found the nearby wall, leaving bruises beginning to mottle across his swollen knuckles.

He awoke among the covers.

Gooereguard wasn’t there.

***

That very afternoon, Erik sat on his chair within the throne room and watched with timidity as the Luminary searchers enter. He looked over at the Lord, who had a look of interest cross his face.

The monsters bowed, the front most taking the speaking role. “We still haven't found the Luminary.” They skittered backward, afraid of the damage to be done to them.

The Lord of Shadows stood, to which every presence responded with bated breath. “Everyone! From this day on, I declare the Luminary dead!” Every monster in the room began to cheer, meanwhile, Erik had an empty look across his face, his eyes darkening as he finally accepted it to be true.

El was dead, it was his fault. Here he sat paying for it.

_“Erik! Look ou-” Erik looked at the brunet shouting a warning; about to respond when he fell into the water within the Cobblestone falls. He spluttered as he tried to save how ungraceful of a fall he had. _

_ Eleven laughed and helped him up, “I tried to warn you!”_

_ “You weren’t fast enough!” Erik cuffs Eleven's shoulder teasingly. They smiled at each other until both of them blushed and looked away._

The next few days were a fog. Jasper yelling at him. Food served. New outfits. Nothing stuck in his brain. He was grieving. El was dead. El was dead. He tried to cry for the boy, but no tears dropped from his eyes, instead, he took the time to dryly sob into the carpet.

The fifth day, his eyes red and puffy and his brain full to the brim of terrible thoughts. Bad nightmares.

He looked up from the table in his room, the door clicked open and in stepped the Lord. Behind him… 

Behind him were two monsters, carrying Mia. Mia’s golden form. Erik looked at the Lord. “Why did you bring her here.”

“I can save her, for a price.” 

Erik’s eyes immediately betrayed the spark of interest in what he said. He stood one hand on his hip, “and what’s this ‘price’?”

“Simple, you join us.”

Erik looked at Mia, mulling over the words he was told by the Seer. He could save her, and maybe fight the evil long enough to get her somewhere safe. He could save her, unlike El. He would also be forgiven. 

Erik walked over to the Lord, taking a deep breath with his eyes closed. He then opened his eyes with a newfound determination. “Yeah, okay, let’s do this.” He held his hand out. 

“Wise choice, little thief.” The Lord of Shadows grabbed his hand and Erik felt the same warm cold lightning of Jasper’s shoot down his arm, but this time his body felt like it was being ripped apart and put back together again. Erik held back a scream of pain.

“Gyldygga, you can change back now.”

“H-huh…?”

Mia’s statue glowed, the gold peeling away and Mia fell out of the pose. She stretched and groaned. “Now I have a neck crick, ouch.”

“Mia..!” Erik’s face lit up.

“It’s not Mia. It’s Gyldygga. Thanks for saving me by the way. Not.” She stretched her wrists as Erik’s expression fell into a quiet realization. “I was freed by the Lord of Shadows, and now you shall be too. Even though you don’t deserve it. Good luck, dear brother.” She spat the last word, turning around and leaving. “Some hero you turned out to be.”

Mia was already saved, he did this for nothing. Mia’s hurting people under the Lord’s control, and soon he’d be too. He punched the ground with a fervor, screaming at it. He felt the dark electricity surge up his torso. Erik's strength started to leave him as he kept punching the ground. Eventually, the feeling surged up his neck. He shouted “I’m sorry” before the electricity covered his scalp and he passed out.

He chased the next Luminary in his dreams that night, knife at the ready.


	4. I Miss Him a Lot

Luminary, one chosen by mighty Yggdrasil herself. Luminary, one meant to save the world. How come this saving the world didn't help?

Blue eyes watched the water with quiet melancholy, palming the Red Orb within his hands. The sea spray and salty air were nice, but it just wasn't the same. The water was slowly regaining life after slaying Alizarin, that much he was thankful for. But, the real reason was the lack of warmth to his side. Ever since he awoke in Nautica he’s been looking. Looking for him, hoping.

Everyone was here, except for Veronica and Erik. Veronica had passed in the fall of Yggdrasil, he still thought of her often; but he thought of Erik more. So often in fact that sometimes he could hear Erik’s voice way off.

They found Serena by the giant gold blockade. Apparently, she had climbed the wall between Sniflheim and the Snærfelt to go to Arboria, which was here she discovered the truth about Veronica. Miraculously, she had made it over the larger barrier in the water. She was wiser and stronger now, and when she gently landed on the deck before the team of travelers, they greeted her with open arms.

El still heard her harp music playing some nights, her desperate attempt to drown out her tears.

Eleven thought back to Alizarin as the sky filled with storm clouds. He remembered the sky filled with blue lightning the day after defeating him. After the monster shouted to the sky, that the Luminary was alive. The blue reminded him of Erik, for it was the same blue he’s looked into for months.

He's disturbed from his thoughts by a presence sitting next to him. It's Jade. Her eyes were downcast, upset. "Listen… I held this back for quite a while. I wasn't sure if I should've said it." Her voice was soft but urgent.

Eleven looked at her, his eyes questioning. He hadn’t spoken much since awakening. It was hard to keep his voice from quivering when he did. She sighed and played with her hands, her face looking more solemn than wise anymore.

“A memory arose from my time... “ She took a moment, other memories clouding her eyes before she continued. “Under Booga. Of a visit from the Lord of Shadows and Jasper themselves.” Her eyes betrayed her and tears fell, the exact image of her pupil and iris quivering. “I wasn’t in control.” She hugs Eleven closely, holding him for a second before continuing to speak. “They had a human with them. I was supposed to lead humans away to be turned into monsters, so I went over… It was Erik, Erik was with them, El.”

El’s eyes widened as he lay against Jade’s front, his body running ice cold. He started shaking. If those monsters hurt him he’d… he’d…!

He’s shocked when a hand touches his back. It’s Sylvando. “Darling, Erik’s a tough little guy and he’ll pull through. We all know it.”

Serena nodded nearby with that new determination in her eyes, “We all know you loved him dearly, so we’ll do our best and get him back.”

Hendrik did his normal salute, "As your sword, your shield, your unswerving companion, I assure you. We will find your blue-haired friend."

Rab stroked his mustache, a serious thought hanging on his mind, "What does Mordegon want with a wee lad like that? He doesnae have a shortage of minions…”

Eleven peeled himself away from Jade and stood. “We’ll find him. We already lost Veronica, we don’t need to lose him too.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, smiles shared between them.

That is, until Dave shouted over the crash of the waves, “Cor! Wot’s that?” The eyes of everyone onboard focused ahead.

Before the ship descended a dark creature, wings as black as a moonless midnight. Their skin was a sickly ghost-like blue, a long bluish braid starting from just below their spiky crown and falling down their back. Horns protruded from their forehead, completely covered in gold adornments. 

An astral robe flowed around their torso, splitting over their thighs to reveal their legs as it curled around their legs. The ends of the robe were tipped with gold embellishments. They wore skin-tight stockings, that went halfway up their thighs, colored in red. 

Upon looking at the face of the threat, it was clear the threat was a male. He had large hoop earrings, as big as his cheeks; and sitting at the base of his neck… was a familiar blue-purple necklace made of rocks, one that El remembers playing with idly in the months prior. The most shocking part was his left hand, which glowed red with anger -the symbol of the Luminary was upon it.

Eleven looked at the spiky-haired threat, which looked directly back at him and smiled inhumanly. "I'll need that orb back, thank you. You see, I'm the new Spectral Sentinel in place of that idiot lizard." The threat looked closer at El, recognition finally sparked in his eyes and anger flared across his face.

“_YOU._” He landed on the deck, inches away from Eleven’s face. “You LEFT me to die. You CHOSE everyone else over me, and vanished for _seven months_.” He spat in Eleven’s face. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to make you vanish again, _forever_.” 

"E-Erik?" Eleven's eyes watered, tears beginning to run down his face. "Erik, oh my god, I missed you so much…! I… I thought you died!" He smiled in relief and hugged the man, tears soaking the corrupted one's robe. Erik gently rubbed Eleven's back, making a hushed coo. Eleven cries and cries, letting out tears he didn't even know remained.

His back pervaded with searing pain. Stabbed, he had been stabbed. Erik fucking stabbed him. Stabbed!

“Aw, did that hurt? Now you know how I felt after all that time.” Erik pushed him onto the ground. He began to walk away from the dying boy, starting on his way to pick up the red ruby on the ground. Until his feet felt like they were bolted to the ground, that is. He looked down at his feet, which were now metal as Eleven coughed up blood and smiled weakly through his paling face. 

“I’m not giving up on you… stay here until I can help you get better…” He soon passed out from the pain and blood loss, a relieved look spread his face. He had found him, at last. 

Little did El know that underneath that ghastly shell, his Erik was still there, and he was panicking. El's voice had woken him from the corruption holding him so tightly, causing them to temporarily split. 

The orange sky made the steel his body was turning into look like the gold he wore. Erik thought of Mia, the desperate pleas she made. The Corrupted side of him attempted to struggle, even calling upon the mark on his hand. Nothing slowed or stopped the movement as it crawled up his legs. Erik watched from the sidelines as the other seven on board ran over, rushing to get El healed and rested.

Hendrik was with them, did he finally realize the Darkspawn stuff was all a lie? Watching your king become unpossessed by the darkness itself will do that to you. Serena looked wisened by a tragedy. Erik’s seen it before, after a thief comes back without their partner, his heart sinking as he realized what had happened. Sylvando, Rab and Jade looked no worse for wear, Dave too.

Sylvando stepped in front of him, a look of guilt laced anger across his face. Something Erik had only seen a few times before. 

“Honey, that was not okay. Stay still while we fix this, alright?” 

He just wanted to nod, to say yes, that he'd wait an eternity if he could just be with Eleven again. The Corruption that took hold of him though, had other plans. Instead, it tried to reach out and claw at the expectant jester, who dodged knowingly.

“Erik honey, if you’re still in there somewhere. You gotta fight it. Fight like your darling El’s life depends on it!”

The steel soon covered his face after that, and soon, he was frozen in time, just like Mia was.


	5. Reflection

Erik thought being a hunk of metal would take away his awareness, and it did in most respects. He had no idea what was happening outside of his body; in his mind, however, he was repeatedly being slammed into the ground by the Corrupt side of him.

“Caught!” Corrupt barked at him. "He no love now!"

"He doesn't care about us anyway." Erik coughed.

Corrupt visibly bristled, grabbing Erik's head harshly and then slamming it again. "Lies! Lies lies lies lies!"

Erik reached for the Corrupts collar, a frown deep across his face. "I’m not lying. They both call you their 'Dark Star' because they want you to do their bidding and nothing more. You're just their goddamn puppet." His words seared with venom on the last word.

The Corrupt side took a moment, mulling over the words. When Erik let him go, down he sat. His eyebrows creased in careful thought. 

"All those times he grabbed you, every time he even touched you. Those weren't acts of love! He pushed you around, and you never got to choose what to do around him, huh? Jasper never really cared about you, he only cared about making himself feel superior. Nothing more." Erik said, driving the nail in.

The Corrupt side looked up, his eyes no longer the same color as Jasper's, gaining a blue tint. Erik took this as a sign to continue, a heavy sigh prefacing his next words.

"Our friends though, they want nothing but the best for us, we aren't much but the Luminary chose us to be his companions. More than that. You can see our memories." Erik smiled slightly.

He felt the corrupt side rifle through their memories and smiled to himself when the monster arrived on a favorite memory Erik had of El.

_They sailed among the water, Gondolia behind them now and the terror of Jasper's recent attack quickly fading from their minds. Erik looked over at El when he sat by him, offering apples. Erik eagerly took it, he had not eaten for hours before this. He took a hearty bite of the crisp fruit, juice escaping from where lips met the skin._

_"I'm glad you're okay… I don't know what I would've done otherwise…" El rubbed a thumb on his own apple, nervousness clearly written on his body. _

_"Simple, you would've gone to Yggdrasil, defeated the darkness and be the Luminary!" Erik chuckled and looked up from his fruit to see Eleven staring at him with a look of complete and utter shock and disgust. "What do I got something on my face?" He managed another chuckle and went to wipe his face._

_A hand grabbing his stopped him, "I want you to go to Yggdrasil with me, Erik." His eyes lit with a serious fire, Erik stared into them, his heart fluttering._

_"H-huh?" His brain had left him, he had a look of slight shock on his face._

_"....I've been working this out our whole journey but… I think I like you. Like, really, like." Eleven's other hand went to cover his mouth and red dusted cheeks._

_Erik's mind immediately went to all the times he caught himself staring, and fantasizing. He had one relationship before this and that one he didn't even get to hear the breakup. He thought back to it for just a split second, feeling remorse for how it ended._

_His hands moved before he processed it; looping around the back of El's neck. His lips crashed into El's, who flinched in shock and then wrapped his arms around the thief, and soon melted into the kiss. Erik never felt anything so pure, so happy. Sure a good heist came close but this… this was so much more. The sea spray hitting their faces as they continued to remain entwined, the stars above that he used to watch, this whole sensation was almost intoxicating, and he drank it up as if he hadn't had water in days. _

_Eventually, they pulled apart, Erik already missed El's lips against his own. He pressed his forehead against the taller ones. "Let's see where this adventure takes us, yeah?” Erik smiled in his typical fashion after he spoke, earning a giggle from the Luminary. _

The corrupted side stood, searching through their recent memories of Jasper, pulling up the one he deemed the best.

_Erik looked over his tattered rags of a closet, his claws flexing as he tried to find one intact outfit. His wings twitched, uneasy._

_His door opens, causing him to shoot upright into the position he was taught to. Jasper stood there, an outfit draped over his arms. "Brought you something." _

_Erik quickly and purposefully walked over to Jasper, holding out his hands and keeping his head down. Jasper slammed the clothes down on Erik's arms, sighing and setting a bag on top of the clothes._

_Erik's head tilted in curiosity, "What's the bag?"_

_"You used to be a thief, so I thought it was fitting you wore some gold."_

_Erik smiled slightly. "Thank you." He turned to go get changed, stopped by a hand forcefully grabbing his wing and tugging it - and him - backward. _

_"No, here." Jasper sneered over him, smiling. Erik took a moment to process and then changed into his new outfit in front of Jasper. He felt tiny and quite inhuman from Jasper's stare; but that's how a monster is supposed to feel, right?_

_Jasper took the bag as Erik pulled on the leggings of the outfit. Erik stood patiently after he finished getting dressed and Jasper slowly took the jewelry out of the bag and placed them on the newborn monster. Erik stood perfectly still, eyes closed._

_Jasper moved behind Erik and yanked him by his wings towards a stool. He pulled him onto it and grabbed his hair forcefully._

_Slowly Jasper cleaned his hair and brushed it, pulling it into a braid yet again. Erik tried to hum gently like Mia once did. He stopped humming when he felt a quick sharp jab between the shoulder blades._

_After the braid was completed, Jasper groomed Erik's wings, but it didn't feel of warmth. It felt of assertion, dominance, and belittlement. He tugged on one wing just to cause pain as he continued to preen the other._

_Eventually, Jasper stood. "There you are, little Dark Star," he said the Lord's pet name for Erik with barely veiled venom. "His majesty wants you to see him." With that Jasper slammed the door after exiting._

Doubt traced on the Corrupts face as it compared the two. Erik sighed in relief, hopeful that he reached him. He just wanted to be able to see El again without possibly lashing out.

Both of them could sense Kaclang wearing off now, like waking up from a dream. Erik smiled as he thought of El waiting for him.

This was soon cut short by a hand grabbing his head again. He yelped in pain as his mental body was thrown across the ground and thrown into unconsciousness. 

Corrupt grinned as he stood among the sharpening awareness, "Home time."


End file.
